1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic developing apparatus for photosensitive materials, and more particularly to a compact automatic developing apparatus which needs no utility piping.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, photographic paper which has been exposed by a printer is transferred to an automatic developing apparatus in a magazine containing the photographic paper loaded into an attachment portion thereof, and is then subjected to various processes such as developing, bleaching, fixing, washing, drying, etc., to obtain the final prints.
However, this processing method requires water for dissolving the processing agents. To supply this water, a water supply tank is installed, and water is supplied to the tank from the outside through, for example, the water mains (refer to Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 90438/1982 and No. 96446/198), whereas waste water is discharged directly from the processing tank to a waste water tank through piping.
However, the provision of utility piping such as a water main and the discharge piping for the waste water is disadvantageous in that it increases the cost of the piping. In addition, this type of automatic developing apparatus can not be installed where there is no mains water supply, and, once it is installed, is difficult to move, so that it is not suitable for demonstration use.
In order to develop exposed photographic materials such as photographic film or photographic paper, for example, the photosensitive materials are generally fed in succession into an automatic developing apparatus through an inlet thereof, are processed as they pass through a series of developing, fixing, stabilizing, washing, etc., tanks which are usually arrayed in a line, and then dried to obtain the completed prints. The processing solutions used in these processes, such as the developing solution, fixing or bleaching/fixing solution, stabilizing solution, etc., become fatigued and their capabilities decrease as the quantity of processed photosensitive materials increases, so fresh replenishing solutions must be supplied as required.
Conventionally, these replenishing solutions are usually introduced into the developing apparatus through pipes from replenishment tanks provided outside the apparatus.
The developing apparatus also requires a number of pipes used to take in water for washing, and also discharge the waste washing water as well as waste processing solutions, in addition to the pipes for introducing the replenishing solutions, and hence large-scale construction work is required at installation. An improved apparatus has been developed as a compact developing apparatus which is free of these disadvantages and which can easily be installed in any desirous place, in which the developed photosensitive materials are rinsed with a rinsing solution containing components which are effective for stabilizing these materials, instead of washing with running water, and each waste solution is stored in a waste solution tank housed in the developing apparatus, thereby eliminating the need for piping providing connection with the outside.
Replenishing solutions for the processing agents, such as developing solution, fixing solution, etc., must be prepared in batches of a certain quantity by dissolving kits of chemicals or by diluting condensed solutions, In the above compact automatic developing apparatus, it is usual to prepare each replenishing solution in a separate container, and then store it in a tank installed outside the developing apparatus, or transfer it to a replenishment tank housed within the development apparatus, to replenish it as required However, this raises several problems concerning inconvenience of operation and the need of additional space for preparing the solutions where the developing apparatus is installed, so there is still room for improvement.
In a color photographic laboratory, a color negative film (negative photographic material) is developed to form a negative image which is exposed on color paper so that a positive image is printed onto the color paper (positive photographic material) in accordance with the negative image.
This color photographic developing process requires at least one each of an automatic developing apparatus for negative photographic materials and an automatic developing apparatus for positive photographic materials.
In order to process photosensitive materials by an automatic developing apparatus while supplying replenishing processing solutions (hereinafter referred to simply as replenishing solutions), two types of processing solutions are usually employed; a starting processing solution (hereinafter referred to simply as starting solution) and a replenishing solution.
The automatic developing apparatus carries out the developing process automatically in such a manner that photographic film or paper with latent images thereon are passed through a series of processing tanks, each filled with the appropriate starting solution, by a feeding rack. During this time, the replenishing solutions are supplied to the processing tanks in such a manner that a certain quantity of each replenishing solution is supplied intermittently so that the processing solution overflows from the processing tank, or a certain quantity of replenishing solution is supplied continuously thereto.
Each starting solution and replenishing solution are prepared by dissolving or diluting a kit of processing agent with water. An automatic developing apparatus for photographs generally includes a washing tank and hence also needs mains supply piping for the washing.
In recent years, some areas in Japan undergo water shortages every few years which leads to restrictions in water supply. In these areas, it is permitted to employ a large quantity of water for an automatic developing apparatus when there is a shortage of drinking and washing water. As well as these seasonal water shortages, there are many areas around the world, such as in desert zones, where water is very valuable and it is extremely difficult to use much water for an automatic developing apparatus. Thus there is a demand for the development of an automatic developing apparatus which employs as little water as possible.
A conventional automatic developing apparatus usually requires a large working space around itself, which is used for work such as the adjustment of replenishing cocks, correction of evaporation, exchange of processing solutions, dissolving of replenishing solutions, etc. The presence of water piping on the ground in this space where this work is carried out is dangerous, and undesirable from the standpoint of the working environment. In addition, an automatic developing apparatus always requires construction work for the water piping when newly installed it or relocating it later, and hence also requires the time and cost of such construction work.
For this reason, an automatic developing apparatus can be contemplated as a non-washing type which has neither a washing tank nor mains water piping for washing, and which includes replenishing solution feeding tanks for automatically supplying processing solutions used to process photosensitive materials, a water supply tank housed therein for storing water used to dilute or dissolve processing agents, and a waste fluid tank detachably incorporated therein for storing waste fluids after the processes. Because it is a non-washing type with no washing tank and a built-in waste fluid tank, this apparatus can be put into service without the need of utility supply means such as water piping and discharge piping means for the waste fluids. The elimination of piping leads to a reduction in the construction costs for piping and makes the size of the entire apparatus more compact, and the resultant apparatus is also suitable for demonstration or other uses in which no water supply is available. The applicants of this application has succeeded in omitting even the water mains piping for cooling, as disclosed in Japanese Patent application No. 69157/1984 and No. 71837/1984.
As a result of continued study into an automatic developing apparatus which has no washing or piping, and which includes replenishing solution supply tanks housed therein, the inventors have found that, when conducting the maintenance of the various processing tanks and internal piping, the replenishing solution supply tanks housed in the apparatus are obstructive, and hence make the maintenance work very difficult. In particular, if such an automatic developing apparatus is installed in a small space, e.g., in a small color photographic developing laboratory, it can be foreseen that the maintenance work will become more difficult.